Black Friday in today’s world is scrolling on your phone while the television plays in background for noise, snacking on popcorn or working through a Costco sized bag of chips. You scroll endlessly on Amazon, Costco (because nothing says “I am now an adult” like having a Costco or Sam’s club membership), Walmart, Target and every other online retailer, chasing deals with nothing more than a swipe of your thumb. Oh, the convenience!
But once upon a time, Black Friday was like a “Shopping Battle Royale.” Long lines, camping outside stores waiting for them to open at 5 a.m., wrestling for one of the fifty 82% discounted televisions, refrigerators and more. It was a survival of the fittest and every man for himself, except for the family of 7 who came prepared, giving them a chance of snagging that deep freezer at a crazy discounted price. While still having enough time left to get a Barbie dollhouse and the latest gaming console for dirt cheap at the toy shop.
It was thrilling, the adrenaline rush, casually racking up 20 thousand steps without realizing it and the sigh of relief when you take a shower and sit on the living room floor to proudly admire your haul of the day. It was bragging to your coworker the following week about being first in line as they say, “Oh my, I am jealous.”
While today’s black Friday might be about 25% of what it was once upon a time (I am not old enough to specify when this started, but we all know this “once upon a time” I speak of) in some big cities and malls, it simply is not the same.
The convenience of today’s Black Friday cannot be overlooked, but we have to admit we are not getting the best deals anymore, because why? WHY? Did the headphones I was dreaming of only fall from $448 to just $399? Come on. Once upon a time, I might be able to snag them for $200 at the most. While 40 decibels, Active Noise Canceling headphones were probably just in development stage at the time, I still feel robbed.
But oh well, we traded more discounts for comfort, and we cannot complain about it. You cannot have your cake and eat it all, I guess!
